


Solo Holiday

by colourexplosion



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cruise Ship, Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, the most fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 08:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5450228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colourexplosion/pseuds/colourexplosion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>With trembling hands and his pulse rabbiting in his neck, Louis looks at the brochures. <b>SOLO HOLIDAY</b> one of them says in big red letters. The other is a ticket for a twelve day cruise around the Eastern Mediterranean. </i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(Louis goes on a singles' cruise. He meets Nick.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solo Holiday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [100percentsassy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/100percentsassy/gifts).



> hiya! this is for the lovely lovely [lexy](http://100percentsassy.tumblr.com) who loves tomlinshaw and deserves a nice little fic for christmas! 
> 
> thanks for reading, please don't show this to anyone remotely related to the boys. enjoy!!

Louis receives a letter from his mum. It looks harmless enough -- a plain white envelope and her familiar scrawl on the front of it, completed with one of the butterfly stamps Louis had bought for her during the holidays in the corner. Of course, when he opens it and pulls out a folded piece of paper and two shiny brochures, it all becomes a little less harmless. 

_Louis darling,_

_I know it’s a bit early, but I’ve gone ahead and bought your christmas and birthday present for this year. Maybe your present to me will be finally bringing someone home for christmas ;)_

_Love,  
Mum_

With trembling hands and his pulse rabbiting in his neck, Louis looks at the brochures. _SOLO HOLIDAY_ one of them says in big red letters. The other is a ticket for a twelve day cruise around the Eastern Mediterranean. 

\---

 _Day One -- Southampton_

The _Queen Victoria_ is huge. Not that Louis didn’t think it’d be huge -- because he’d done his research once his mum told him the ticket was non-refundable -- but there’s always something about photos that fails to capture how truly gigantic something is. Especially this ship. 

All the research he’d done said it was a good ship for a first-timer. Big, but not too big -- though he’s not keen to see a ship bigger, to be honest -- and easily navigated on the inside. Louis hopes that means there are maps posted everywhere and a lot of helpful staff to point him in the right direction when he inevitably gets lost. 

He makes his way through the crowds of people saying goodbye to each other -- he’s taken the train in alone, obviously, because his flatmate Niall doesn’t like crowds and Liam would cry -- and checks in, verifying he’s the same person on the ticket and receiving a name badge in exchange. 

“Just for your entry to the dining rooms and to pay for anything you might need on the ship,” the woman says. Her hair has been pulled into a tight ponytail, and her red polo shirt has the Cunard logo just above a little pocket. “Here’s your schedule of ship events,” she says, handing him a folder full of papers. “And a map, a list of services and a general itinerary.” 

“Thanks,” he says, fumbling with the folder, trying not to spill its contents everywhere. Honestly, he’ll probably put it in his bag and completely forget about it, but it’s nice that they’ve provided it. 

“Welcome aboard the _Queen Victoria_ ,” she says, and Louis nods to her and starts making his way up the narrow runway. 

\---

For how huge it is on the outside, the corridors of the ship are almost claustrophobically narrow. Louis hardly has enough room to turn around in one by himself, never mind trying to squeeze past someone without full body contact. He doesn’t even want to think about how many people are on the ship with him or how many have been on it in the past. He’s heard horror stories -- people catching the flu and coming on their trip anyway and spreading it around like wild fire or, God forbid, the shits going around -- and with every step he takes to his room, he prays for an illness free ten days. He hasn’t used up half his paid vacation time to spend it puking his guts up over the side of an ocean liner. The thought of the embarrassment alone is enough to make a mental note to buy some of those seasickness tablets, or whatever they are. Maybe one of those fancy bracelets. He can hardly find someone to take home for Christmas with vomit breath.

Though, it’s not as if he’s really trying to impress anyone anyway. He doesn’t know what the fuck his mum was thinking. A cruise to find a boyfriend? It’s good for a hookup, maybe, or a fling, but he can’t imagine anything lasting longer than the twelve days on the boat. There’s no guarantee whoever he meets is even going to be from London. They could live on the other side of England, for all he knows. Louis isn’t going to take the chance to get attached. It’s not worth it. Besides, Louis’ never liked flings; they’re too messy, and someone always has more feelings about it than the other person. Every fling he’s ever had has ended badly, and this is supposed to be a holiday. He’s not going to muck it up. He’s here to relax and get some sun and see a bunch of places he’s never seen. 

He makes it to his cabin finally, his arm starting to ache from pulling his suitcase along behind him. If it has been his choice, he would’ve chosen one of the really informal ships, one of the ones where you can wear a tank top and shorts to dinner and no one cares. As it is, the _Queen Victoria_ boasts a “more formal” dress code, which means Louis has to wear a jacket to dinner every night and a full suit on the formal dinner nights. There’s no denim allowed after 6pm -- unless he wants to spend his night confined to the lido deck and bar -- and he’s fairly certain he has to like, shave. Maybe he’s made that one up, but he doesn’t really want to find out either way. Imagine being barred from eating because of some hair on your chin. Christ. 

Louis rolls his eyes at himself and unlocks the door to get into his room. Only, there’s already someone in there. 

He knew he’d have a cabin mate -- “That’s part of the fun,” his mum had boasted when he’d called her to yell at her. “Meeting new people! Doing new things!” Louis hadn’t agreed and still doesn’t -- but he just didn’t think they’d be so. Tall. 

He’s a fucking giant, this bloke is. He’s hunched over his bag on his bed, digging through it. Louis can see the top of a quiff slightly bouncing as he moves, the tip of a nose and curve of his mouth. He hadn’t looked up when Louis opened the door, so now he’s just standing there staring at this stranger. Awkwardly. 

“Hi,” he blurts, and the man startles, uncurls himself and fuck, his hair almost touches the low ceiling. He’s slim, tall and lanky with a big nose and a big mouth. He’s sort of -- Louis wouldn’t call him conventionally attractive, but there is something about him that keeps Louis looking. 

“I’m Louis,” he says, and the man tilts his head. “Your cabin mate, I suppose.” 

“Hiya,” he says, and sticks out a massive hand for Louis to shake. “I’m Nick.” 

Louis smiles and takes the hand, trying not to pay too much attention to how it dwarfs his own. Because if he thinks about that, then he’ll be thinking about Nick’s body dwarfing his own and how it might feel to -- Right. No. Not going there. He’s here to relax and travel. 

Totally, totally not going there.

\---

_Day Two, Three and Four -- At Sea_

Louis spends his first day on the ship trying to familiarize himself with it. He takes his map and his badge and wanders through the corridors, trying to find the best routes to the dining room and common areas. The interior is amazing, done up to look like something out of the 1920s or 30s. Elaborate moldings and chandeliers and fancy furnitures. High ceilings, and extravagant staircases. It’s the poshest place Louis has ever stayed. Everything about it feels decadent and indulgent, and he kind of hates it as much as he loves it. 

There’s a large pool on the lido deck and an outdoor bar. Chairs line the edges of the pool and the small balcony just above it. The warmth from the sun is almost tempting enough to make Louis give up his exploration and sun himself immediately, but he knows that it’ll be worth it in the long run if he doesn’t get lost every five minutes. He makes his way back into the interior, finding his way through the theater and the dining rooms, down through the ballroom and ends up on the outdoor games deck. There are people playing shuffleboard and sitting at bridge tables, and he’s fairly certain he saw a croquet course somewhere. It’s ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, and he can’t believe he’s here. 

Eventually, Louis makes his way back to his room to change for dinner -- he needs the jacket, after all -- and opens the door to Nick lounging on his bed, a book in hand. He doesn’t know much about Nick except that, like Louis, he’s a Northerner living in London and that he works in radio. 

“You spent all day in here?” he asks. There were activities all day -- things like “getting to know you” lunches and various games -- and while Louis chose to ignore them to learn his way around, he’s surprised to find Nick in here and not doing something else. 

“Went to the library for a bit, didn’t I?” Nick responds, holding up his book. Louis rolls his eyes. The library had been like something out of _Beauty and the Beast_ \-- huge and extensive and almost too beautiful to touch. He can see the appeal of getting a book or two to read on the lido deck or before bed, but still. 

“You haven’t gone outside at all?” 

Nick shrugs and Louis lets it go. He’s curious, sure, but he doesn’t know Nick and he has to spend the next ten days with him in tight quarters. He wouldn’t want to make things awkward by pushing. 

Actually, maybe he does. 

“You know that’s like, the point of this, right?” Nick looks up again from his book, arching an eyebrow. “The whole meeting people thing. It’s a singles’ cruise.” 

“Is that why you came, then?” Nick asks, putting the book down. “To meet people? To find the love of your life?” 

Louis’ cheeks flush, but he doesn’t look away. “No, I came because my mum spent good money on a misguided attempt to set me up. I’m here to tan and buy her something from Tenerife and tell her how amazing it was. You’re not.” 

Nick laughs, his eyes going wide like he’s surprised. “I am?” 

“You are,” Louis says with a nod. “You’re here to have a fling to cure your mid-life crisis.” 

Nick doesn’t scowl like Louis was hoping for. Instead, he gives Louis a once over that makes the blush on his cheeks deepen. “You offering?” 

“Fuck off,” Louis says, waving a hand at him. “I’m just saying. This boat’s proper posh and you’re sitting in here. If you wanted to read a book on your bed you could’ve stayed home. Why not make the most of it?” 

Nick stares at him for a moment incredulously, half looking like he’s about to laugh and half mildly impressed. Louis isn’t really sure where his rant came from, actually. It’s what he told himself when his mum told him she couldn’t get her money back, but he hadn’t ever planned on saying it to anyone else. 

Louis turns away finally, pulling his bag out from under his bed to fetch his black blazer and slim cut slacks. He pulls out a black turtleneck to go with it, and carefully sets all the clothing out on the bed, as not to wrinkle it any further. God forbid a ship this posh have actual closets. Or irons. 

“What are you doing?” Nick asks. Louis looks up at him. He hasn’t moved from his spot on the bed, but he also hasn’t opened the book again. 

“Getting dressed for dinner.” He turns his back to Nick and pulls his shorts off, tugging the pants up and on. He can feel Nick’s eyes on him when he tugs off his shirt and gets the turtleneck on, adjusting the collar so it doesn’t swallow his neck. He hears the bed shift and turns, raising an eyebrow at a now standing Nick. 

“What are you doing?” he asks. 

Nick smiles at him, sort of smug, somehow. Though Louis doesn’t really know what he’s got to be smug about. “Getting dressed for dinner.” 

\---

Louis takes Nick with him to the lido deck the next day. 

“Bring your stupid book,” he says, throwing his sun cream and towel into a complimentary bag someone gave him during dinner. “Come on. Live a little, Nick.” 

Nick rolls his eyes but goes anyway. They get there early enough that they manage to snag two chairs next to a table and claim them immediately. Louis takes off his shirt and starts rubbing himself down with the sun cream -- just because he likes a good tan doesn’t mean he wants cancer, thanks -- offering it to Nick when he’s done. Nick -- who hasn’t removed his heinous Hawaiian print shirt, takes it and puts some on his arms, and offers to do Louis’ back. 

“No getting fresh,” he says, turning to give Nick access and hissing at the cold cream a moment later. 

“Sorry,” Nick murmurs, and takes his time spreading it everywhere. It’s been longer than Louis wants to think about since he’s gotten touched with any kind of intent, and he’s always loved it, so he lets Nick go on a little longer than he might normally. 

“That should be good,” Nick says, and Louis nods, pulling away to look at him. There’s something familiar in his gaze, reminiscent of the sort of looks Louis gets at clubs. Men like him for his body, he knows, and he’s sure he and Nick could have a good time, but that’s not what he’s here for. 

“I’m going for a swim,” he says, standing abruptly. “Enjoy your book.” 

Nick gives him a wave and an eyeroll. Louis jumps in the pool, letting the cool water wash away the warmth of Nick’s gaze. 

\---

When Louis pulls himself out of the pool, Nick’s chair is empty. The book’s still there facedown on the towel, and Nick’s sandals are on the ground next to the chair, but Nick is nowhere in sight. 

Louis doesn’t worry about it as he dries himself off, but he does scan around, just in case. He can’t imagine Nick’s gone far, but even if he has it’s none of Louis’ business. He knows that. It’s fine. 

He sets to work reapplying the sun cream, nearly dropping the bottle when someone speaks behind him. 

“You want me to do your back again?” 

It’s Nick, obviously, and obviously he was fine, so Louis doesn’t understand the weird sense of relief he gets when he turns around and sees him. 

“What?” he asks, and then, before he can stop himself, “Where were you?” 

Nick raises an eyebrow. “Getting drinks,” he says, holding out two glasses full of what looks like Pina Coladas. “You need me to do your back again?” 

Louis eyes him. “Only if one of those drinks is for me,” he says. Nick rolls his eyes and hands him one anyway, setting down his glass and reaching across for the cream. He takes less time putting it on Louis -- which Louis appreciates, honestly -- and hands him the tube once he’s done. 

“Thanks,” Louis says, and lays back in his chair. Nick hums in response. There’s only a moment of silence before Louis speaks again. 

“Have you got the stick out of your arse yet?” 

Nick chokes, sputters, and Louis glances over to see him wiping his chin. “Excuse me?” he asks. 

Louis shrugs. “I’m just saying. You’re being weird about this whole thing. This place is amazing and there’s what, two thousand people here? You’re not even trying to get to know them.” 

“Wow,” Nick says with a laugh. “Make a snap judgement, don’t you?” 

“I call it like I see it,” Louis counters. 

“Well you’re seeing it wrong, then.” Nick leans back in the chair, taking another drink. Louis waits for him to expand. “I spent almost all day out here or on the games deck doing activities. I have met people. I’ve met _loads_ of people. You’re the one who’s been wandering around exploring and yelling at me for being a hermit.” 

“Oh.” Louis blinks, his brow furrowing. “But you said last night -- When I asked you -- ”

“I didn’t say anything,” Nick says, shaking his head. “You assumed.” He takes another drink and looks at Louis over the rim of his glasses, raising his eyebrows high. 

Louis lets out a breath. “And you’ve just let me act like an arse this whole time?” 

Nick shrugs and says, “Well, I did buy you a drink to soften the blow,” and laughs when Louis swats him on the arm. 

After that, it’s easy to see that Nick has exactly the right personality for this kind of thing. He’s always smiling at people and crowding in on conversations without making it seem rude. He makes Louis laugh like no one else, and he’s always laughing at Louis’ jokes, no matter how dumb they are. 

By the end of their third day at sea, Louis feels like he’s known Nick for years. He’s not sure what to do about it. 

“Madeira tomorrow,” he says from where he’s snuggled in his bed, reaching over to click the light off. 

“Remind me to pick up a gift for Eileen,” Nick responds, sounding like he’s half asleep. The familiarity in how he says it makes Louis’ cheeks heat, makes him smile to himself. 

_You’re not here for that_ , he tells himself, just as he drifts off to sleep. 

\---

 _Day Five -- Madeira_

Funchal is beautiful from what Louis can see from their small window, with the city looking like it sprung right out of the sea and the people friendly and helpful. One of the papers in Louis’ welcome folder has a bit of background info on it, and a list of popular activities. 

“We could go on a hike through a forest,” Louis says to himself, peering down at the paper. He’s sitting on the bed shirtless, a towel wrapped around his waist. He’s just showered -- after realizing he hadn’t after the first night on the ship -- and has been trying to base his outfit selection on what they might do. 

Ah, fuck it. No one cares what he wears anyway. 

He tosses the paper aside and pulls on some pants under his towel, letting it drop before he pulls on a pair of shorts. He grabs a tank top next -- doesn’t want an ugly t-shirt tan, obviously -- and rubs the towel over his hair to dry it. 

The door to the bathroom opens and Nick steps out just as Louis has started applying the sun cream and he makes a face when Nick raises an eyebrow at him. He turns to grant Nick so privacy as he pulls on his clothing. 

“We could go for a hike,” he says, examining his cuticles. Christ, they’re in bad shape, actually. He ought to see if he can get them fixed on the ship. He probably could. 

“I thought we were going shopping,” Nick answers, and Louis turns to look at him in time to see him buttoning up his shirt. The glimpse of chest he gets is enough to curl his hand in the bed sheets. He’s really got to get ahold of himself. 

“We can go shopping after,” he says, clearing his throat. Nick raises an eyebrow at him and makes his way to the bathroom again. Louis gets up and follows him, leaning against the doorway. 

“We’re not going shopping after climbing a bloody mountain,” Nick says, smearing his hair goop on his hands and working it through his hair. 

Louis crosses his arms over his chest. “We’re not climbing a mountain. There’s a trail. Hardly the same thing.” 

“No deal,” Nick says, not even turning to look at Louis. “You’ll still complain about your feet hurting and use those eyes on me and we’ll end up back in here before ten.” 

“Excuse you,” Louis squawks. “I would not complain -- ” 

“Oh please,” Nick says, rolling his eyes. “You made me carry you back after dinner yesterday because your legs were tired. I’m not carrying you around Portugal.” 

Louis’ cheeks heat at the memory. He’d had one too many of the free drinks and let himself get a little bold. Nick’s back had felt good under him, strong and sure, even as Nick whined about how heavy he was. 

“Look,” Nick says, softer. “Tomorrow’s La Palma. They’ve got like, volcanoes or something we can climb. We’ll do that instead.” 

“Okay,” Louis answers slowly. “What’s the catch?” 

Nick grins at him, caught out. “We go shopping today and have dinner after.” 

They’ve had dinner together every day this whole trip. It’s not like that’s a burden. “Yeah, alright,” Louis says with a shrug.

\---

“You’re really legitimately wearing that?” Nick asks as they walk closer to the crowd of people trying to get off the ship. “A tank top? Really?” 

“I don’t see how cut-offs are any better, Daisy Duke,” Louis answers, elbowing him in the ribs. Nick laughs like Louis didn’t just insult him and doesn’t say anything else about it. 

Once they get off the ship, Louis is glad he wore it, because Funchal is boiling. He knew it’d be hot, but even for the end of June it feels oppressive and scorching. It lessens a little once they get further from the ship, but the throngs of people don’t provide much relief. 

The markets are packed, which isn’t really a surprise. They wander from shop to shop, booth to booth looking at cute trinkets and beautifully handmade items. Louis buys his sisters each a hair clip made out of wood that’s been carved and painted to look like little birds. He finds a beautiful embroidered scarf for his mum that he buys and then decides that’s enough for the time being and goes to find Nick. 

Louis spots him at a booth, leaning over the table and grinning widely as he tries to speak in broken Portuguese to the merchant. Whatever he’s saying must either be hilarious or so completely wrong that it’s funny, because the merchant throws her head back and laughs loudly enough that Louis can hear it three booths away. Louis ignores the tingle between his shoulderblades at the thought of Nick making someone else laugh like that and heads over, stopping just next to him. 

“Buy anything for Eileen yet?” he asks, planting himself right beside Nick. 

“‘Course I have,” Nick says, not even seeming surprised at Louis’ sudden appearance. “First thing I did, innit?” 

“Good, then let’s eat. I’m starving,” Louis says. Nick says goodbye to the merchant and they’re on their way. Nick takes him to a little cafe off a side street, where it’s quieter and cozier. More private. They sit in view of both the bar and the big bay windows the look out onto the street. Nick orders them oysters and a bottle of the house wine. It’s different than Louis is used to, slightly sour, but it pairs well with the oysters and the pasta dish they get for the main course. Nick makes him laugh the whole time with stories about home and about other trips he’s been on, strange little anecdotes about the trouble he’s always getting himself into. Louis tells some of his own, and before they even know it the sun has started to set. 

“Shit,” Louis laughs, looking out the window. “We’ve got to go. We’ll miss the boat.” 

Nick throws down money on the table before Louis can even offer to help and drags him out onto the street. Just as they make it back through the port gates they hear the boarding horn and Nick grabs Louis’ hand as they break out into a run. They make it with plenty of time to spare, running up the steep ramp and onto the deck, breathless and flushed. 

Nick doesn’t let go of his hand as they make their way to the cabin. Louis doesn’t want him to. 

\---

_Day Six -- La Palma_

When they wake the next day, the ship has docked at La Palma, and Nick makes good on his promise to take Louis on a hike up a volcano. Louis puts on his most hiking friendly shoes -- his Vans, but they’re better than the sandals or the dress shoes he’s brought -- and packs up a bag with extra water and snacks and sun cream. 

Apparently the Ruta de los Volcanes is something like 17 km long, so they end up only making the trek to Birigoyo look-out point. It’s far enough for Louis, and for Nick who’s clearly breathless by the time they make it up the hill and to the info sign. Louis glances at the sign and then looks out over the landscape, the Los Llanos de Aridane valley. 

“A landslide did all this?” Nick asks from beside him, finally having caught his breath. His nose is pink from the sun, as are the tops of his shoulders where they poke out from his tank top. Louis had given him so much shit when he’d put it on this morning, and he’s going to give him even more when they get back to the ship and it’s turned into a real sunburn. 

“Probably not just one,” Louis answers, waving a hand. “Probably multiple, like.” He wishes he’d brought his phone, even though it doesn’t work out of the country. He could’ve at least taken photos. 

“Hey, say cheese,” Nick says, and Louis turns to see Nick’s phone pointed at him. 

“Gouda,” he says, and grins as Nick starts laughing. He shows Louis the photo, his wide grin and dark tan and the extra pair of sunglasses he’d nicked from Nick’s bag. 

“You’ll have to send it to me,” Louis says, softer than he means to. 

Nick looks at him, smiles. “Of course.” 

\---

They sit right on the ground and eat their snacks and drink some of their water -- saving the rest for the trip back, of course -- and look out over the landscape. It’s peaceful, even with hiking groups coming and going. It’s nice just to sit and be in nature, and it’s nice to sit beside Nick. 

It’s a dangerous way for Louis to feel, he knows. But they’re just friends. They can be friends! They can. 

“Have you ever wanted to shout something off the top of a really high hill?” Nick asks, still staring out into the valley. 

Louis furrows his brow. “What?” 

“Like you know in movies,” Nick says with a shrug. “When they reach the top of something and someone always like, yells something out into the void or whatever. Have you ever wanted to do that?” 

Louis frowns as he looks back out at the valley. He can’t say he’s really ever thought about -- mostly because he hasn’t ever planned to climb any mountains. Really, this’ll probably be the highest he ever gets. 

“Don’t think I have, no,” he answers eventually. 

“You should shout something,” Nick says with a nod, like he’s an expert on mountain yelling. 

Louis gives him a critical look. He can’t really tell what Nick’s playing at, but there’s a big possibility he’s not playing at anything. That he’s just telling Louis to do it to see if he will or because he thinks Louis might not actually do it, but Louis has never been one to back down from anything, so he cups a hand around his mouth and takes a deep breath. 

Of course, his mind goes blank. There’s hundreds of things he’d like to say, like _I like you, Nick_ or _I think we should fuck_ or _promise me we’ll keep in touch_ but those are all too personal and too long to shout into a valley. 

“Oi oi!” is what he ends up going with, grinning when it echoes back at him. 

“Prolific,” Nick says wryly, grinning even as Louis shoves him over. 

“You give it a go, then,” Louis says, but Nick shakes his head. 

“Think I won’t, actually. Don’t want the universe knowing all my secrets.” 

\---

Louis thinks about it on the entire trip back to the ship. What secrets has Nick got that he doesn’t want anyone knowing? That he doesn’t want Louis knowing? Does he have a crush on someone? Louis surely would’ve noticed. Or would he? He’s been so caught up in his own schoolboy drama that he hasn’t really considered the possibility of Nick liking someone else. Liking anyone, really. And since it’s not like Louis is ever going to act on his own feelings, it seems pretty unfair to monopolize his attention. 

“How come you’ve not hooked up with anyone since we’ve been here?” Louis asks as Nick takes his seat at the dinner table. He looks smart in a pair of skinny slacks and silk paisley shirt under a blazer. They’ve got their second formal dinner tomorrow night, and Louis has been contemplating renting a tuxedo. Maybe he can get Nick to do it with him. 

Or, no. Right. That probably would fall under the _monopolizing Nick’s attention_ thing. Best not, then. 

“Are you still on about this?” Nick says with a scoff, taking a sip of his drink. 

“Yes,” Louis says pointedly. “That’s the whole point of this thing. To get laid.” 

Nick raises his eyebrows. “You’ve not gotten laid either.” 

Louis rolls his eyes. “I’ve not been trying to.” 

“Well neither am I!” Nick throws his free hand in the air. “Did you ever just think that maybe I like your company enough that I don’t need someone else?” 

A warm feeling blooms in Louis’ chest, but he ignores it. “I think you’re young and virile and ought to get while the getting’s good.” 

Nick snorts. “Did you just call me ‘ _virile_ ’? Louis, please.” 

“It’s not untrue,” Louis says stiffly, sitting back in his chair. “I’m going to get you laid, you hear me? I’ll be your wingman.” 

Nick sighs and looks at him. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?” 

“Nope,” Louis answers with a smile. “Definitely not.” 

For the rest of the meal, Louis spends his time pointing out people he thinks would be a good match for Nick. He purposefully doesn’t point out anyone that might bear any resemblance to himself, because that’d be weird and also he hates the idea of it. Nick humors him for a bit but always ends up brushing it off when Louis offers to approach one of them. 

“Don’t want a shag now, do I? I’m knackered,” he says with a shrug, and Louis lets it go. For now.

\---

_Day Seven -- Tenerife_

The water in Tenerife is a fantastic royal blue, so beautiful that Louis takes one look out to the coast and says, “Beach day!” 

“I’ve got more shopping to do,” Nick says, but he’s pulling on his bathing suit anyway. “If you want to do that and then spend all day sunning yourself like a lizard.” 

Louis makes a face at him. “Have you just implied that I’m a reptile?” 

“Well, yeah.” Nick gives him a look like _duh_ and runs a hand through his hair. He’s stopped putting it in a quiff, probably because it just falls right down anyway and the hair goop washes out in the pool and ocean. That means it’s loose, though, and falls across his forehead until he pushes it to the side. Louis has been having a hard time keeping himself from brushing it out of Nick’s face himself, but has somehow managed it. It just looks so soft, is the thing. He’d really like to touch it. 

“I haven’t got scales, thank you very much,” he says, a beat too late. “You could do with a bit of moisturizer, though.” 

Nick rolls his eyes and waves Louis out the door. “I’ll take it into consideration, love, but come on.” 

\---

They do end up doing a bit of shopping -- or, Nick does; Louis mostly just wanders behind him and touches all the shiny stuff -- until Nick gets tired of Louis pestering him and they head to the beach. 

“You’re a menace, you know that?” he says, flicking his towel out on the sand. “Can’t even get a bit of shopping in without you nosing in.” 

Louis scoffs and tugs his shirt up over his head. “I think you like it.” 

“Oh yeah?” Nick raises an eyebrow. 

“Yeah,” Louis says with a nod. “You would’ve told me to stop, otherwise.” 

“I did. Multiple times.” 

Louis ignores him in favor of slathering the sun cream on his arms and chest and stomach and scanning the growing crowd of people for someone for Nick to hook up with. He hasn’t mentioned it yet today, but he’s going to get Nick laid, and maybe when that happens he can let go of his stupid crush. 

The touch of hands on his back startles him for a moment and then he relaxes instantly when he realizes it’s Nick. His hands feel just as good as that first time and -- Yeah. Louis really needs to stop thinking about him like that. 

“Thanks,” he murmurs, pulling away as soon as Nick’s hands start to slow down. 

“No problem,” Nick responds, wiping the extra on his own neck. It’s nice, Louis thinks, that they have a routine down. It’s also one of the reasons Louis needs to find him someone else. He can’t let himself get attached to Nick, can’t get used to his company or his thoughtfulness or the familiarity of their banter because it won’t last. Nothing that starts on a cruise ship is meant for the long-term, even if they live in the same city. Sure, they could date for a while, but it’d just peter out like all the rest of Louis’ relationships and he doesn’t know if he could stand it. He really likes Nick. He really wants to keep in contact with Nick. Being friends is the best way to do that. Probably. 

Besides, it’s not as if Nick likes him. He’s said he enjoys Louis’ company, but that’s not the same as wanting a relationship. That’s not the same as wanting to fuck him. 

“So, what about that bloke over there?” Louis asks nodding his head in the direction of a fit young man with short brown hair. He’s laughing at something while trying to play some sort of game involving a ball and keeps missing it. “He’s shit at sport. Perfect match for you.” Louis turns to Nick and grins at him. 

For the first time since Louis’ started suggesting potential hook-ups, Nick looks like he’s considering it. He’s tilted his head and pursed his mouth in a way that Louis knows means he’s on the fence. Jealousy burns in his chest, but he ignores it and stands up. 

“Come on, then,” he says, waving a hand. “I told you I’d be your wingman.” 

Nick looks up at him, pulling his sunglasses down to narrow his eyes. “You’re serious about this.” 

Louis shrugs. “If you are, yeah.” 

Nick purses his lips again, looks from Louis to the bloke and back to Louis before hauling himself to his feet. He gestures to Louis with a flourish. 

“Lead the way.” 

\---

The bloke’s name is Jack and it turns out he’s on their cruise as well. He’s twenty-eight and lives in Hertfordshire and is an only child, and Louis finds all of this out from him in about ten minutes. He can’t tell if it’s his superior detective skills or if Jack’s just a talker, but either way he figures it doesn’t matter. Jack’s fit as fuck and Nick’s probably the type of person who likes a lot of talking in bed, so. A perfect match. 

He suggests they get a drink from the cabana nearby, and conveniently positions himself next to Nick. Jack’s nattering on about something -- his nan’s hip surgery maybe -- but Louis interrupts him by clearing his throat loudly. Jack cuts off abruptly, looking surprised.

“I think I’ve just spotted my Great Aunt Lisa,” Louis says waving at the first older woman he sees in the crowd. Jack looks around, but Louis catches his face and turns it back toward him. “Sorry to run off, but have you met Nick?” He gestures behind himself, where Nick is (hopefully) giving Jack a wave from over his shoulder. 

Jack blinks, and then a smile curls onto his face. “No, I haven’t. I’m Jack.” He sticks out a hand. An arm comes from behind Louis to shake it. Louis looks back, swallows against the lump in his throat and slips out from under Nick’s arm. 

“I’m Nick,” he hears as he walks away, and resolutely blocks out the rest. 

\---

The problem of course, with actually setting Nick up with someone whilst having a raging crush on him is that Louis can’t fucking stop thinking about it. About Nick and _Jack_ , with his short hair and his muscley muscles and his tight blue board shorts. 

_They’re probably fucking in the cabana loo right now_ , Louis thinks and then immediately wishes he hadn’t. Because now he can’t stop thinking about Nick kissing Jack and wrapping one of those huge hands around -- 

No. Okay. This has got to stop. 

Louis stands and stretches for a moment, and then runs for the water. Nothing a good dip in the ocean won’t cure. 

\---

When he gets back to his towel, Nick’s stuff has been picked up and taken, presumably by Nick himself. All of Louis’ stuff is exactly where he left it, but Nick’s book, his towel and his bag of gifts have gone. Louis sighs and shakes out his own towel and dries himself off with it, deciding to head back to the ship early. He knows it’s stupid to be upset, that he literally chose this for himself, but it’s still frustrating. Even though he knows it’s the best thing, Nick going off with Jack just feels like confirmation that he’s not interested in Louis that way. 

No, doesn’t feel like. Is. It is confirmation that he’s not interested in Louis. So really, it’s better that he’s figuring it out now than later. 

The knowledge that he was right isn’t nearly as comforting as he thought it’d be. 

\---

_Day Eight -- At Sea_

Louis wakes the next morning to find Nick three feet away from him, asleep in his tiny bed. He doesn’t think much of it at first, just shuffles out of his own and heads to the loo, but as his cognitive process kicks into gear, he remembers that Nick had spent most of the day with Jack. Surely if they’d slept together they would have slept together? 

Standing at the sink to wash his hands, Louis pokes his head out the doorway, glancing at Nick’s sleeping form. What he can see of Nick’s skin looks unmarred -- no love bites or bruises, but he knows that doesn’t really mean anything. And he knows that even if Nick didn’t sleep with Jack, there’s no guarantee it means Nick wants to sleep with him. 

_No jumping to conclusions_ , he tells himself and finishes washing his hands. 

When he gets out, he gets dressed and then sits on the edge of his bed. Waiting. 

Almost every other morning, Louis has waited for Nick and they went and ate breakfast together and planned their day. But Nick’s still asleep, and Louis feels incredibly creepy sitting there watching him. 

Right. Louis can’t just be a weirdo who watches someone sleep. He gets up and goes to get himself breakfast. Alone. 

\---

Since they’re sailing today, there are tons of activities on the ship’s itinerary. Louis goes to a few of them -- a lecture that he forgets ten minutes after he leaves, a game of croquet with some truly annoying people who have coupled up, and so on -- but gives up by mid-afternoon. He’s grouchy, feeling restless and bored and unsatisfied and decides to have a nap about it. A good nap can fix anything. 

He runs into Nick in the stairwell, before he even makes it back to the room. Nick’s got a bag with him, a book tucked up under his arm. Why the book’s not in the bag, Louis has no idea, but he doesn’t really understand half the things Nick does. 

“Oh,” he says, stopping short. “Hi.” 

“Hiya,” Nick says, giving him a wave. It’s a little awkward, but not as awkward as it could be, Louis supposes. 

“You were asleep,” he says, and nearly rolls his eyes at himself. “I mean, this morning. You were asleep when I woke up.” 

Nick quirks an eyebrow. “Yeah, that’s something I try to do every night.” 

Louis does roll this time, but at Nick. “Shut up. I didn’t want to wait for your lazy arse to get out of bed, so I left.” 

“Alright.” Nick shrugs. “S’fine. I was heading up to the lido deck. You want to come?” 

Louis’ actually just come from there, but being surrounded by people having a great time and not paying a lick of attention to him was too much for him to bear. He could make Nick pay attention to him, though. He’s good at that. 

“Yeah, sure,” he says, and follows Nick up the steps. 

\---

By dinner time, any awkwardness between them has dissipated completely. They spend most of the afternoon in the pool, splashing each other and trying to dunk one another. At one point, Louis suggests a game of chicken with some of the other people in the pool, but none of them seem receptive to the idea. In the end, he and Nick get out and head back to the room to dress for dinner. 

“We could go to the upper decks for dinner,” Nick says casually as he lounges on the bed, watching Louis sort through his clothing. “Then we wouldn’t have to dress up.” 

Louis considers it, humming out a note under his breath as he does. On the one hand, being confined to a small section of the ship because of how they’re dressed annoys him on principle. On the other hand, Louis is really fucking tired of wearing slacks. 

He tosses his nice clothes back into his bag and looks at Nick. “Lead the way, then,” he says, laughing when Nick grins at him. 

They make their way to the lido buffet, getting their food and finding tables in the Winter Garden. Louis’ pleased to note that they aren’t the only people up here, and they’re nowhere near the worst dressed. There’s a bloke in what looks like pyjama pants and a ratty band t-shirt, and while Louis appreciates comfort, that’s taking it a bit far. He feels better about his black jeans and oversized grey jumper, even if it does keep slipping off his shoulder. 

“You’re quiet tonight,” Nick says, drawing Louis back from his thoughts. 

“Suppose so,” he says with a shrug, grabbing his jumper where it slips down. “Don’t have much to say.” 

Nick raises his eyebrows. “You didn’t do anything today?” 

“I did,” Louis says, slightly defensive. He bites back a _just because some of us had a post coital lie-in doesn’t mean we’re all lazy bastards_ , because he doesn’t want to start a fight. It wouldn’t be worth it. “I went to one of them lectures. Can’t remember what it’s about. Er, I played some games. It’s not like I slept all day.” 

Nick rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you a busy bee,” he says, clearly ignoring Louis’ attempt at a barb. “What did you do yesterday?” 

Louis shrugs and looks around the garden. The man in his pyjamas has a plate of food in each hand and seems to be looking around frantically for a place to sit, which is stupid. There are plenty of open tables. Maybe he’s looking for someone. 

“Hello? Louis?” Nick snaps his fingers and Louis gives him a look. 

“I’m not a dog.” 

“You weren’t answering, had to make sure you were still there.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “I went back to the room yesterday. Ate dinner. Fell asleep. Why?” 

Nick shrugs. “Just wondering.” He fiddles with his fork for a moment, looking vaguely uncomfortable before he says, “So you didn’t make any new friends?” 

Louis arches an eyebrow. “What?” 

“You know,” Nick says, waving a hand. “Like Jack. You didn’t -- ”

“I’m not the one who slept with Jack, no,” Louis says, much harsher than he intends. Nick looks at him, eyes wide as Louis’ ever seen them, and scoffs. 

“You practically shoved me at him, I think it’s pretty clear you didn’t sleep with him,” Nick says, his tone turned sharp. “I meant, did you find yourself a fuck buddy, but obviously not, if that’s how you talk to people.” 

It stings more than it should. “Fuck off.” It’s not the best comeback ever, but his feelings are hurt and everything he can think of to say is probably too mean. No, scratch that, definitely too mean. 

He looks down at his plate, poking at a pile of peas with his fork. He should really just storm off in a huff, but he’ll have to see Nick later anyway and the ship is so small that it’s a useless gesture. He doesn’t need to be any more dramatic than he already is. They’re both quiet for a moment that seems endless, seems like a ribbon falling off its spool between them, just spinning and spilling out of control. 

“Sorry,” Nick says, looking supremely uncomfortable. “That was out of line.” 

Louis shakes his head, relief washing through him. “I started it. Sorry.” 

Nick nods in what Louis guesses is acceptance and they fall into silence again. 

“I didn’t,” Nick says suddenly, almost too quietly for Louis to hear him. “Sleep with Jack, I mean. I didn’t sleep with him.” 

“Oh.” Another wave of relief sweeps through Louis. God, he’s so pathetic. “Why not?” 

Nick looks at him a moment, head tilted a bit. “You really don’t know?” 

Louis flushes. “What, has he got a funny rash or something?” 

Nick lets out a bark of laughter that takes them both by surprise. Louis laughs at Nick and then at himself, and by the time he’s done, the moment’s passed. 

“So,” he says, and for a moment Nick looks wary, like Louis might try to prise it out of him. “What are we doing in Lisbon?” 

Nick sighs, put-upon and long-suffering, and says, “Do I have to figure out everything we do? When are you going to start pulling your weight?” 

Louis throws a spoonful of peas at him in retaliation, but the smile doesn’t leave his face for the rest of the night. 

\---

_Day Nine -- Lisbon_

Lisbon surprises Louis. 

It’s beautiful, for one, and he’s not sure what he was expecting, but it wasn’t rows and rows of white houses with red rooftops and gorgeous old architecture. The beach is white and sandy and the perfect temperature, and the streets of the city are narrow and winding in a way that reminds Louis of Italy, but better, somehow. The trolleys delight him -- he definitely pulls Nick on to one at every single opportunity -- and the buildings are covered in amazing street art that Louis is sure to get photos of. He feels like a proper tourist this time around and absolutely loves it. 

By the time Louis is satisfied with his exploration, it’s almost time to go back to the ship. Nick has been trailing him all day, seemingly happy to just follow him around while he freaks out over trolleys and art. Well, to be fair, Nick liked the art too. Louis had caught him snapping photos of it at the same time as him. He’d teased him about how much his hipster friends back in London would like it, and Nick just laughed and agreed. It made Louis feel hopeful for a moment, like maybe one day he’d meet them too, but he’d squashed the thought before it could go any further. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Nick could take him to meet his other friends, but they’d have to stay in touch for that, and Louis has no idea what’s going to happen after. 

He’s starting to wonder, though -- especially as Nick takes his hand in the middle of the street and excitedly leads him into a cupcake shop -- if maybe he’s made the wrong choice by trying to push Nick away. Not that he’s really been successful at doing it, but denying himself parts of Nick he definitely wants. Denying himself the ability to take a chance on something that might work out. He’s been so stupid, and they’ll be back home in three days. Three days! 

If they did start something -- if it turned out that Nick did want him -- it hardly seems like enough time to do anything. Even if they like each other there’s no certainty that they’ll stick it out once they’re back home. Life always gets in the way, Louis knows, and meeting under charmed circumstances always fucks things up from the start. 

But still. The part of Louis that’s saying _what if_ has been growing steadily bigger, blooming into a substantial feeling of hope in his chest that flutters every time Nick looks at him and smiles or laughs at one of his jokes or touches him. 

He has to do something about it, Louis decides. He’s going to do something about it. Tonight. 

\---

Since the _Queen Victoria_ is a ridiculously posh ship, it has three formal dinners. Formal means _formal_ ; Louis wore his best suit to the first two, but the ship offers the opportunity to rent out a tuxedo. Probably for people like Louis who, don’t own a tuxedo, and for people who can’t be bothered to bring their best formal wear with them on a great bloody boat. 

In any case, Louis had convinced Nick to rent one with him a few days prior, so he slips out of the cabin while Nick showers to go get them. The bags are massive, which Louis should’ve foreseen, so he struggles a bit as he gets them back to the room but manages to make it just fine. He lays Nick’s on his bed and sets to work getting himself dressed. 

As he dresses, he tries to think of something to do to make his feelings clear to Nick. He knows how to woo someone, that’s not the issue. No, he’s just not sure how to subtly hint at his feelings and try to read a response. 

God, he’s too old for that shit. Maybe he should just lay it all out for him. Yeah, that could work. Just a simple, _Nick, I like you_ , or _Nick, let’s fuck_ or _Nick, marry me and have ten babies_. 

Okay, maybe not the last one, but either of the others would be good. 

Louis smiles to himself as he does up all his buttons and carefully tucks in the pristine white shirt. The suit’s not a perfect fit -- the pants are a bit tight -- but there’s not much to be done about it. He’s not sure there’s even a tailor on board, and even if there were, he certainly wouldn’t pay for it. He’s shelled out enough of his cash during this trip anyway. He thinks of his final account bill with a cringe and pushes it out of his mind. It’s fine, it’ll be fine. 

He has to focus on tonight, anyway, and looking his best. He has to be irresistible. He can totally do that. 

\---

Louis does his hair up in a sharp quiff but leaves the bit of stubble on his face, because he likes the dimension it gives and also because his razor is a piece of shit that would probably cut his face open and no one wants to kiss a man whose chin is gushing blood. 

He’s standing in front of the mirror when Nick emerges from the loo with his hair done up, and fuck, he looks beautiful. The tux accentuates the long line of his body, makes him look slimmer and fitter than he already does and -- just -- God. Louis might die. He’s completely frozen where he stands, staring at Nick’s reflection in the mirror.

Nick turns and catches him looking and gives him a wink. “Alright?” he asks, and Louis flushes, embarrassed, and fumbles with his bow tie. 

Smooth, amazingly smooth. 

“Fine,” he mumbles, his fingers still slipping over the silk. He doesn’t notice Nick walking closer until he’s right behind him, putting a hand over Louis’ to grab the tie. Louis’ knees go a bit weak. 

“There’s a trick to it,” Nick murmurs, his breath hot against the side of Louis’ head. He knots the tie easily, pulling it through to make a perfect bow. “Got to have really clever fingers to get it right.” 

“Fuck off,” Louis says, elbowing him in the ribs. Nick steps back with an _oomph_ , holding a hand to his side. 

“A ‘thank you’ would have sufficed,” he says, looking cross. 

Louis turns, tilts his head so he’s looking up at Nick through his eyelashes and says, simperingly sweet, “Thank you, Nicholas.” 

Nick rolls his eyes, but Louis doesn’t miss the slight flush on his cheeks. It makes the hope in his chest grow and flutter a bit more. He’ll be lucky if he makes it through tonight without having a coronary. 

“We’ll be late,” he says. “Let’s go.” 

Nick gestures for him to lead the way, so he does. 

\---

Just like all the other formal dinners, the dining room has been decked out to be even posher than normal. There are strings of fairy lights hanging everywhere, beautiful centerpieces on all the tables and the food smells heavenly in the kitchens. A dance floor has been cleared in the center of the room, big enough for quite a few couples to dance at one time, and the thought sends a thrill down Louis’ spine. He’s not sure why -- he’s never really been one for dancing, especially not ballroom -- but it’s romantic, and the thought of him and Nick standing close and swaying to lovely music…. well. 

They claim a table and get their drinks, talking about the decor and the ambiance of the room. Louis finds himself nervous, jittery almost with the butterflies swooping around in his stomach as the ball of hope in his chest grows bigger and bigger. If Nick notices he’s acting oddly he doesn’t say, just keeps commenting on some of the truly horrendous dresses and suits being worn by other passengers. 

The food is served and it tastes as good as it smells, and Louis doesn’t spare much time for conversation as he eats. The longer he goes without saying anything the more nervous he gets, but every time he looks up and Nick and opens his mouth to say something about how much he likes him he freezes up. It’s as if he’s just forgotten how to speak. 

The music starts after dinner is finished being served, and someone over the loudspeaker invites them all to start dancing. Louis looks around at the couples filing onto the dancefloor, feeling envious of how easy it seems for them. They’ve just asked their partners to dance and they’ve said yes. It seems like an impossible task to Louis. 

“Fancy a dance?” 

Louis blinks and turns to look back at Nick. He’s sitting back in his chair, twirling his fork in his long fingers and looking at Louis with his eyebrow raised. 

“What?” Louis asks. It comes out in a rasp. 

Nick gestures to the dancefloor with his chin. “Fancy a dance?” 

Louis’ heart thuds in his chest. Christ, he’s such a mess. “Yeah,” he says, still raspy. “Why not?”

Nick stands and offers Louis his hand. Louis looks at it a moment, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth before he takes it and gets pulled up and out. 

Dancing with Nick is a dream. He’s graceful -- more graceful than Louis would’ve ever guessed from just looking at him -- and tall enough that Louis fits nicely against him. He likes that, sometimes, to feel protected and safe and being kept close against Nick’s chest definitely affords him that feeling.

They dance for one song and then another, laughing and joking, Nick leaning close to whisper his comments about people’s clothes into Louis’ ear. More often than not, Louis has to throw his head back to laugh, just so he can escape how overwhelming it is to have Nick so close. Every time he stops and looks back at Nick, Nick’s already looking at him, his eyes happy and fond and making Louis’ pulse rabbit faster in his throat. 

It’s halfway through the third song when Louis feels a tap on his shoulder. He frowns and turns, annoyed, and then even more annoyed when he realizes it’s Jack, who’s staring at Nick like a starved dog looks at a hunk of meat. 

“Mind if I cut in, mate?” Jack says, and Louis is so shocked that all he can do is blink. 

“Uh,” he stutters, and looks to Nick, who looks considerably less fond, but shrugs, like he doesn’t care either way. Louis’ heart sinks, because Nick doesn’t care, he realizes. He steps away from him, gestures for Jack to take his place and walks off, jealousy and shame burning at the back of his throat. He’s been so stupid to think that Nick -- to read all those signs so wrong. He’s been so stupid. 

“Louis!” 

Louis doesn’t turn at his name, just pushes through the crowd of people, not stopping until someone grabs his arm and turns him around. 

“Hey, fuck off,” he says loudly, wrenching his arm out of the grip, his stomach filling with lead when he realizes it’s Nick. “Oh, sorry.” 

“What the fuck was that?” Nick asks. His eyes are blazing like he’s really pissed off, but Louis doesn’t know why he’s mad. Unless he’s mad at Louis for walking away, which is unfair. 

“What the fuck was what?” he responds, crossing his arms over his chest. “He wanted to dance with you.” 

Nick makes a noise in his throat, almost like a growl. “You’re so bloody -- _I_ didn’t want to dance with _him_.” 

“Oh.” Everything slows to a stop around Louis, a strange sense of calm washing over him. “You liked dancing with me?” he asks, his voice sounding faint to his own ears. 

“Wouldn’t have kept dancing with you if I didn’t, would I?” Nick says, throwing his hands up in exasperation. 

Christ, Louis is an idiot. 

“I’m such a fucking idiot,” he says, and then takes a step forward, going onto his toes to tug Nick down into a kiss. 

Whatever Nick was saying gets cut off and he responds to Louis instantly, his hands coming up to cradle Louis’ head and taking a step closer to him. Louis’ hands curl in the fabric of Nick’s tux, pulling on his lapels to get them closer before they have to pull apart to breathe. 

“You are,” Nick says, panting a little, “the biggest idiot in the world.” 

“Must be,” Louis says, “If I want to be with you.” 

\---

_Day One Hundred Eighty-One -- Doncaster_

Yorkshire’s bloody freezing in December, but Louis doesn’t mind. He’s had to wrap himself up in two jumpers and a coat, along with a scarf and a hat and his big gloves. He wishes for a moment that he were back in Lisbon or Tenerife, lounging on the beach in just his bathing suit and soaking up the warmth, but the thought of seeing his family again vanishes the thought. It’s the day before his birthday and it’s two days before Christmas, and he’s seeing his family again for the first time in months. 

And Nick is meeting them for the first time ever. 

The tan from the cruise has long since faded, but it was a small price to pay to get to keep Nick by his side. The night they’d finally gotten together had been perfect, intimate and lovely and definitely a long time coming. Louis was worried, though, that Nick might not want more when they’d gotten back to London. 

He’d been wrong, thankfully, and after settling back in Nick had rung him and asked him to dinner, and then Louis asked Nick to dinner a few nights later, and now it’s six months later and Nick’s going to meet Louis’ family. For the first time. Ever. 

“So they’ll probably eat you alive,” he says, to Nick as he drives, fiddling with his gloves in his lap. “They’re um -- they can be protective.” Possessive, more like, but Nick doesn’t need to know that. 

Nick snorts. “It’ll be nice to see where you get it from, then,” he says, teasing and Louis’ mouth quirks up into a smile. 

“Really, though,” he says, seriously. “If it gets too much, just tell me. I don’t want you to get overwhelmed.” _And run off_ , Louis thinks. Though, Nick’s not the one who runs, usually. That’s more of a Louis thing. 

“Louis,” he says gently, lifting one hand off the wheel and closing it around both of Louis’. “Nothing’s going to scare me off, alright?” 

Louis looks up at him, lets himself examine Nick’s face, the curve of his cheekbone and jut of his chin and line of his jaw, and smiles. 

“Yeah, alright,” he says, and wonders how he got so lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! [ I'm here](http://jessimond.tumblr.com) if you wanna talk.


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